Vehicles



April '5, 1966 A. W.-PRICKETT 3,244,248

VEHICLES Filed July 24, 1962 lol INVENT OR ALEXANDER WALPOLE PRICKETT BY (JO/ 2 Q ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,244,248 VEHICLES Alexander Walpole Prickett, East Cowes, Isle of Wight,

England, assignor to Westland Aircraft Limited, Yeovil, England Filed July 24, 1962, Ser. No. 212,759 Claims priority, application Great Britain, .luly 26, 1961, 27,015/ 61 3 Claims. (Cl. 180-7) This invention relates to a fastening for releasably attaching flexible base skirts, jet systems, side walls and stability skirts or keels to ground effect machines and particularly those of the hovercraft type, that is machines which in one phase of their operation are wholly or partly supported by a ground-effect pressurised air cushion generated beneath the machine and the surface over which the machine travels.

The desirability of extending peripheral jet systems below the base structure of the machine is described in British Patent No. 860,781.

Since the components described are subject to wear and/or damage, it is desirable that they may be readily changeable and easily fitted or removed.

I have found that not only does the releasable fastening provided by this invention enable ready change and replacement, but it is durable in use and does not damage the flexible material in consequence of operating stresses. The fastening permits the flexible components to be rolled up or folded during manufacture, handling and for transportation, and additionally facilitates fitting to curved parts of a machine such as a bow or stem. In addition, the invention lends itself to flexible component retraction as described in our co-pend-ing British application No. 41,543/61.

According to the present invention I provide a releasable fastening comprising a releasable joint made between co-operating anchorage parts carried by the upper edge or edges of flexible components and the rigid structure of the machine, the part or parts carried by the flexible components providing flexibility permitting bending of the upper edge of said flexible component to the contour of the rigid structure of the machine, and being formed as, or adapted to accommodate, a retainer which can be engaged or disengaged by a sliding action relative to the anchorage parts carried by the rigid structure, to secure or release the flexible component.

Conveniently this arrangement may be embodied to extend the depth of the flexible components by providing co-operating anchorage parts on the lower edges of the flexible components and the upper edges of extensions thereto, and this forms a further feature of the invention.

The retainer or retainers may take the form of a rigid or flexible hinge pin engaging and passing through alternating loops carried by the rigid structure and the flexible component or shirt, or both carried by the flexible components where one flexible component is attached to and depends from an upper flexible component.

Preferably the flexible component when long, as in a peripheral skirting, jet system or side Wall, is arranged in sections to facilitate replacement of local sections which become worn or damaged. In this construction a series of hinge pins may be utilised as retainers.

Bifurcated or hollow rivets are preferably used to se cure the anchorage parts to both the rigid structure of the machine and to the flexible component since this enables the full double shear value of such rivets to be realised.

Several embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

3,244,248 Patented Apr. 5', 1966 FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a ground-effect machine showing the position of the invention as installed around a peripheral jet.

FIGURE 2 is a view of the invention in elevation.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient form, which is by way of example only, referring to FIGURE 1 a peripheral jet type ground effect vehicle is generally indicated at 1, the peripheral jet at 2 and the flexible extensions which constitute the invention are generally indicated at 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 the rigid inner wall of the peripheral jet 2 is indicated at 4, and a skirt or flexible extension of this wall made of rubber, rubberised fabric, or plastic sheet or similar flexible material at 5. Along the top edge of the flexible extension 5 is a reinforcing strip 6 so that the number of fasteners attaching the skirt fittings may be kept to a minimum.

The flexible skirt 5 is suspended from the lower edge of the rigid inner wall 4 by metal hinges fastened by bifurcated or hollow rivets (not shown) to the inside or outside face of the inner wall 4. FIGURE 2 shows the hinges attached to the inside of the inner wall 4. The hinge generally indicated at 7 comprises two portions, an upper portion 8 attached to the rigid wall 4 and an offset lower portion 9 which is attached to the reinforced upper edge 6 of the flexible skirt 5 by hollow or bifurcated rivets for preference. However, there is no reason why other types of fastener should not be used or even a cementing or bonding process. The upper and lower portions 8 and 9 of the hinges 7 are adapted to be fitted together so that the hinge line of the upper portion 8 is aligned with the hinge line of the lower portion 9 in staggered relationship. The hinge pin 10 can then be inserted through the aligned holes, thus retaining the flexible skirt 5 and also allowing it to swing laterally. The hinge pin 10 may be of metal preferably non-corrosive or of nylon or similar material. The flexible skirt 5 could be manufactured and attached to the vehicle in short sections corresponding to the length of the hinge pins '10, each section abutting the adjacent section around the outer edge of the peripheral jet 2. On the other hand it may be more convenient to manufacture the skirt 5 in long lengths and attach it by a plurality of short hinge pins around the vehicle. For example a twenty foot length of skirt could be suspended by ten hinge pins, in preference to three foot lengths being suspended by one hinge pin. Since the skirt sections are of flexible material, there is no reason why a slight overlap should not be used if a better seal could be achieved in this manner. The upper hinge portions 8, may also be attached to the rigid structure in short sections if so desired, and these could correspond to the length of the hinge pins 10. It will be seen from FIGURE 1, that the outer wall of the peripheral jet 2 is flexibly extended in a similar manner to the inner wall.

The flexible skirt 5 attached to the outer wall of the peripheral jet 2 may be attached to the inner flexible skirt (shown in FIGURE 1) by ties or diaphragms (not shown) of flexible material and the inner flexible skirt may in turn be attached to the underside of the vehicle by ties or straps (not shown). These ties would effectively locate the inner and outer skirts 3 in spaced relationship and also prevent the skirt sections from being blown outwards by the high pressure air beneath the vehicle 1.

In a modified form of the invention the sections of flexible skirt located on curves or at points of high stress, may have overlapping ends joined together by nuts and bolts or rivets passing through one or more horizontal reinforcing strips. This method avoids the use of adhesive and facilitates the removal of the skirt sections.

asaaaas In a further modified form of the invention, the lower hinged portions of the flexible skirt may be adapted to further extend a flexible wall or skirt by the method hereinbefore described. This would make a more permanent skirt readily adjustable in length and the lower portions more prone to wear, quickly interchangeable.

In a further modified form of the invention the portions of the skirt more prone to wear through contact with the ground could be reinforced by a hard rubber str-ip along their lower edge and by rubber or metal studs spaced at suitable intervals over the skirt.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that although this invention is illustrated as being applied to both inner and outer walls of a peripheral jet it may, if so desired, for reasons of operational efiiciency be installed on the inner or outer wall only. The use of ties or straps hereinbefore described may be used to suit the configuration, but are not essential to the invention. The invention enables both straight lengths of skirt and tapered sections to be used to suit the configuration of the hull of the vehicle, and permits folding or rolling up for travelling and transportation.

In operation of the invention the flexible skirts generally indicated at 3 extending the rigid walls 4 of the peripheral jet 2 of ground efifect vehicle 1, enables said vehicle to operate more efliciently by conserving power and effectively increasing its operational height. Should sections of skirt 5 or 13 become torn, worn, or otherwise damaged through striking objects or trailing over the ground then it is a simple matter to withdraw hinge pins and remove the section of skirt for repair or replacement. The damaged length of skirt could be rolled up and repaired away from the vehicle, thus facilitating easy handling. Moreover, new sections can also be manufactured away from the craft by the use of a simple template to match the fittings on the rigid structure and those on the skirt.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ground eifect machine comprising: a rigid base structure, means forming a downwardly directed duct extending substantially around the periphery of said rigid base structure, a flexible skirt-like member of fluid impervious material depending from said rigid base structure, said skirt-like member having spaced inner and outer Walls forming a downwardly extending continuation of said peripheral duct, and means for attaching said inner and outer walls to said rigid base structure, said attachment means for at least one of said walls comprising a plurality of first elements connected to said rigid base structure in ailgned but spaced relationship and having passages formed therein, the passages in adjacent first elements being in substantial alignment for receiving a rodlike retaining member, a plurality of spaced second elements attached to and extending upwardly from the upper edge of said one wall between and in alignment with adjacent ones of said first elements, said second elements being formed of a rigid material and being connected to the upper edge of said one wall in spaced relationship so as to permit said wall to flex in the spaces between adjacent second elements, said second elements having passages formed therein in alignment with the passages in adjacent ones of said first elements, and a plurality of removable rod-like retaining members each slidably received in the alternating passages in a group of said first and second elements, whereby said one wall is free to pivot about said retaining member without substantial flexing in the vicinity of the connection to the rigid base structure.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said one wall comprises upper and lower wall components, and means for detachably connecting said lower wall com ponent to said upper Wall component.

3. In a ground effect machine having a rigid base structure under which a supporting pressurized air cushion is created and maintained during operation of the machine, a flexible skirt-like member of substantially fluid impervious material extending downwardly from the rigid base structure, a releasable connection between said skirt-like member and the rigid base structure, said connection comprising a series of spaced first elements attached to said rig-id base structure and having aligned longitudinal passages extending therethrough for receiving a retainer member, a series of second elements attached to the upper edge of said flexible skirt-like member in spaced relationship so as to permit said skirt-like member to flex in the spaces between adjacent second elements, said second elements being spaced so as to enter between alternate ones of said first elements and having longitudinal passages extending therethrough in alignment with the passages of saidfirst elements for receiving the retainer member, and a retainer member slidaibly received in a1- ternate passages in said first and second elements.

Reterences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 228,990 6/1880 Erickson 382 514,677 2/1894 Furnas 15-340 X 1,423,812 7/1922 -Moody l6-168 3,027,860 4/1962 Priest -7 X FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, RICHARD W. COOKE,

Examiners. 

1. A GROUND EFFECT MACHINE COMPRISING: A RIGID BASE STRUCTURE, MEANS FORMING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED DUCT EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID RIGID BASE STRUCTURE, A FLEXIBLE SKIRT-LIKE MEMBER OF FLUID IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL DEPENDING FROM SAID RIGID BASE STRUCTURE, SAID SKIRT-LIKE MEMBER HAVING SPACED INNER AND OUTER WALLS FORMING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CONTINUATION OF SAID PERIPHERAL DUCT, AND MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID INNER AND OUTER WALLS TO SAID RIGID BASE STRUCTURE, SAID ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WALLS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FIRST ELEMENTS CONNECTED TO SAID RIGID BASE STRUCTURE IN ALIGNED BUT SPACED RELATIONSHIP AND HAVING PASSAGES FORMED THEREIN, THE PASSAGES IN ADJACENT FIRST ELEMENTS BEING IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT FOR RECEIVING A RODLIKE RETAINING MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF SPACED SECOND ELEMENTS ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID ONE WALL BETWEEN AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH ADJACENT ONES OF SAID FIRST ELEMENTS, SAID SECOND ELEMENTS BEING FORMED OF A RIGID MATERIAL AND BEING CONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID ONE WALL IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP SO AS TO PERMIT SAID WALL TO FLEX IN THE SPACES BETWEEN ADJACENT SECOND ELEMENTS, SAID SECOND ELEMENTS HAVING PASSAGES FORMED THEREIN IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE PASSAGES IN ADJACENT ONES OF SAID FIRST ELEMENTS, AND A PLURALITY OF REMOVABLE ROD-LIKE RETAINING MEMBERS EACH SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN THE ALTERNATING PASSAGES IN A GROUP OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELEMENTS, WHEREBY SAID ONE WALL IS FREE TO PIVOT ABOUT SAID RETAINING MEMBER WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL FLEXING IN THE VICINITY OF THE CONNECTION TO THE RIGID BASE STRUCTURE. 